§ Mr. Stephen Rossasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list in the Official Report any available statistics or official estimates of: (a) the number of persons remanded in custody each year because of the lack of facilities outside prison, such as bail hostels, to which such persons could be remanded instead and (b) the number of persons imprisoned each year because of the lack of alternative facilities, such as treatment centres and hostels, outside prisons to which such persons would otherwise be sent; and, if there are no such statistics or estimates, if he will make a statement on the problem.
§ Mr. JohnNo such figures are available.
The proportion of people who are sent to prison depends, not only upon the 140W alternative facilities available, but also upon the use that the courts make of their discretion. Within present financial constraints, we are encouraging the development of bail hostels, community service order schemes and other non-custodial provision, including projects which are being developed by voluntary organisations with the aid of Home Office grants.